The Future of Solar Panel Installations with the Help of Robots

PV-Kraftwerker GmbH & Co. is a German energy company that provides photovoltaic mounting systems, fencing systems, carport systems and monitoring and security systems. It offers services that are applicable to mechanical and electrical; planning and in acquiring high-quality components like photovoltaic modules, cables, inverters, sub-construction and assembly.

PV-Kraftwerker’s operations have caused the economical erection of solar power plants by optimizing the assembly through the assembly robot. PV-Kraftwerker dwells between the start-up and the module production plant. The services of PV-Kraftwerker include corresponding fencing and reliable safety installations.

Powered by the desire to save on costs while optimizing energy production, PV-Kraftwerker is using mobile robotics in installing ground-mounted solar panels. Because the workers are robots, PV-Kraftwerker can work day and night in through all kinds of weather conditions. Its robot can assemble solar panels that are considered as power plant grade. These solar panels are normally four times the size of the ones installed in many homes.

Robotics has been a great help to PV-Kraftwerker. Since the time the company has used robots, what the company usually takes 35 workers to install can now be done by just three robots. It is also amazing that the job can take only one-eighth of the time. A 14-megawatt solar plant, for instance, can cost PV-Kraftwerker close to $2 million to install. With the robots, the costs are cut to almost half. One robot costs $900,000 and this amount can be recovered in less than one year of continuous use.

In recent developments, PV-Kraftwerker can now install panels on metal frames – a task usually done manually by humans. As the robots lay the panels, two workers working alongside the robot can screw the panels to the frame to make electrical connections.

In the near future, PV-Kraftwerker expects that robotic installations will become common since many components are being produced to adapt to automation. For PV-Kraftwerker, it is innovating its robots to make them GPS-guided. The company looks forward to robots that pound poles on the ground, mount panels and eliminate the workers that screw the panels to the frame.